This invention relates to energy dissipating devices and more particularly to an impact absorbing device utilizing movable energy transfer members.
In a variety of situations in which a work piece is to be moved from one work area to another, it is desirable to brake this work piece in a precise position. Various stopping devices for arresting a moving work piece have been used previously.
One such type of impact receiving device provides a fixed impact surface. Characteristically, the impact between the traveling work piece and the fixed surface results in either an inelastic collision, which may damage the work piece, or an elastic collision, which tends to rebound the work piece backwards far beyond the point of impact.
Another type of existing impact receiving device is mounted on spring or hydraulic supports, and is thus movable upon impact. Although such movable impact receiving devices tend to dissipate the energy of the impact, they have generally been unsatisfactory in properly positioning the work piece after impact. This problem is particularly difficult to solve in cases where impacting objects may have widely varying weights or impact energies.
The present invention provides means for imparting the energy of an impacting body to one or more of a plurality of weighted objects. The number of bodies to which the impact energy is imparted and the extent of motion imparted to such bodies depends on the force of impact.
A general object of the present invention is to provide a simple device which overcomes the above-described disadvantages of prior impact and receiving devices.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an impact receiving device capable of dissipating the energy of impact of a moving object and stopping the object substantially at the point of impact.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide such an impact absorbing device capable of effectively dissipating the impact energy of objects having widely varying impact forces.